Razor blade sharpener



RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER Filed Dec. '1, 1930 FIG. 3 49 G. HUGH MURRIN IN VEN TOR.

ATTOR EY Patented Apr. 24, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to abrading devices. More especially the invention appertains to improvements in safety-razor blade-Sharpeners, such improvements relating in general to a similar device upon which Letters Patent have been applied for in a co-pending application, Serial No.

324,954; filed December 10, 1928.

The following important objects and features pertain to the outstanding merits of the invention.

To imitate the well known method of giving an undulating effect while sharpening a razor by hand honing and stropping, of the commonly known straight razor types, and to inject and transcribe this manual feature into my improvement in the form of a mechanical feature, I have devised means wherein I employ two points of suspension in supporting the sharpening element together with means limiting the undulating effeet, so that as the blade is manually reciprocated to and fro upon the sharpening element in its carriage friction drive means causes the blade to impinge upon the abrader in a balanced and rockingly poised manner, thus causing equal pres 5 sure contact between the edge of the blade and the abrader whereby auniform sharpened edge throughout the length of the razor blade is pro 'duced.

This method of suspending the abrader for the purposes of both stropping and honing is interchangeable.

It is deemed expedient at times to provide for variable pressure contact between the blade and hone from that between the blade and strop, such being a special object of the invention to employ means whereby the frictional resistance between a rotating member, and a stationary member may be varied by screw adjustment to graduate the pressure contact desired; at the same time such pressure contact being further governable by the length as well as the speed of the stroke which produces the frictional resistance; the frictional resistance between the stationary and rotating member being simultaneously employed in oscillating the blade as the direction of the honing or strapping stroke is reversed.

The position of the abrader with respect to the blade is also adapted to be inclined throughout its lateral extent to still further graduate the pressure contact therebetween during the length of the stroke.

A further achievement in the improvement of my former invention is the means employed for changing the inclination of the blade prior to reversing the edges of the blade whereby the cutting edge of the blade in each instance is raised to avoid drag of the edge of the blade over the terminal portion of the hone or strop at the end of a thrusting or beginning of a drawing stroke. It is, however, to be understood that one side of a blade may be completely sharpened by alternating its edges by reciprocation; that is to say first one edge is applied and then the other, as the to and fro movement is generated without turning the blade in its pivotal bearing each time. Such a procedure eliminates wear on the apparatus and is to be recommended. Coupled with the achievement aforestated is a further adaptation of the frictional means to pivotally turn the blade and coacting fixed means cooperating therewith to limit the angle of turn.

A fundamental feature residing in the improvement is the method and manner of inserting a blade in the holder and the means to retain the blade in sharpening position.

Other objects reside in the details of construction and the combination of parts to be hereinafter described, and all of which are particularly set forth in the claims added hereto.

A preferred embodiment of the improved invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which: I

Fig. 1 isa perspective view of the complete apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a transverse longitudinal section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the carriage;

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line 4-i of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, illustrating various positions of the blade operating mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a side of elevation of the carriage showing one sharpening angle or inclination of the blade;

Figs. 8 and 9 are side and edge views respectively of the spring which limits the rotation of the blade; and

Fig. 10 is a left hand end elevation of the view shown in Fig. 3.

In general the invention consists of a framework 1 including a rack, and an abrader 40 suspended between two points in said framework, whereby its operative surface may undulate and be alternated at will from stropping to honing and vice versa. There is a carriage 23 reciprocably mounted on said framework, a blade holder 57, having a shaft portion including a friction drive,

rotatably mounted on said carriage, and a razor blade 70 detachably mounted on said blade holder.

The friction drive comprises a gear in constant mesh with said rack, and a torque member in direct frictional contact with said gear. Said gear is rotatingly mounted on said shaft portion; said torque member is non-rotatably mounted on said shaft portion. The torque member being thus mounted on the shaft portion, and the shaft portion being an extension of said blade holder, it is obvious the oscillation and rotation of the blade in the blade holder, and the pressure exerted on the edge of the blade as it is caused to sweep over the abrader, is accomplished thru the frictional tightness of the abutting faces of the torque and gear.

Adjustable means 67, more fully hereinafter described, is provided to regulate or graduate this degree of frictional tightness existing between the torque and gear.

A double edge blade mounted in said blade holder, by virtue of the mechanism just described, may have its cutting edges alternately presented to the operative face of the abrader at will for either drawing or thrusting strokes.

More specifically the apparatus consists of an open rectangular die cast or pressed metal frame-.

Work 1, having spaced parallel side frames 2 and end frames 3; there being top inturned flanges 4, and 5 for the side frames and top inturned flanges 6 and 7 for the end frames. All of the top inturned flanges are provided with a downwardly directed flange, the downwardly directed flanges of the side frames being designated by numerals 8 and 9 and the downwardly directed flanges of the end frames being designated by numerals 10 and 11. In addition to all of said flanges lending structural stiffness to the framework, the side frame downturned flanges have incorporated into them, throughout approximately their entire length, integral racks 12 and 13.

The side frames have bottom inturned flanges 14 and 15, as do also the end frames, the flanges of the latter being designated by numerals l6 and 17. These flanges difier only from the top inturned flanges by being somewhat greater in extent. This is partially due to the fact that in the bottom inturned flanges of the side frames there are provided lifts 18 and 19 on each side preferably struck up from the metal forming the flange. These lifts cooperate with a torque member 20, later to be described, in changing the angle of departure and re-entrant of the blade, so that its edges will not drag or contact with the end of the abrader at that part of the stroke.

All of the bottom inturned flanges are equipped with upwardly directed flanges 21, 22, 23 and 24 similar to the downwardly directed flanges of the top inturned flanges, though not so great in extent. These bottom flanges however must be of sufiicient height, especially the upturned flanges 21 and 22 of the side frames, to accommodate the insertion of the bottom cross-tie support 25, the construction of which is clearly shown in Fig. 4.

The side frames 2 are panelled at 26 and 27 to form a ledge or track-way from which the carriage 28 is suspended. This panel effect strengthens the structure and also provides a recess in which the side flanges 29 of the detachable end frame 3 fit with extreme snugness. Screws 30 are used to fasten the end frame to the side frame. Detaching the end frame from the side frame permits the carriage to be removed or inserted in the frame. It also provides a stop against which the end of the carriage may limitingly abut.

Upon removing the abrader the side frames may be sprung sufficiently to effect the insertion and removal of the cross-tie support 25. The cross-tie support is provided with tongued ends 31 and 32; each tongue being adapted to be inserted within its respective slot 33 and 34 in the side frame, that portion of the end of the crosstie adjacently situated the tongue, abutting the inside surface of the upturned flanges 21 and 22 to gage the parallelism of the side frames. See Fig. 1 for an illustration of the latter construction.

The cross-tie support has an upwardly directed flange 35, the central portion 36 of which extends to a greater height than the remainder thereof, that portion having an aperture 37 which serves as one of the bearing supports for the two point suspensioned abrader 40. That portion of the flange 35 lying adjacent to the central portion 36 being adapted to limit the undulating or vibratory effect of the abrader; the stop fingers 38 slightly projecting thereover to limit the rock of the abrader about its axis of support.

The aperture 37 is elongated in contour to provide adjustment for that end of the axial support of the abrader, so that a declination may be given the abrader. In close proximity to the apertured opening is provided a set screw 39 tapped into the bottom face of the cross-tie 25, said screw having its end underlying the bottom side of the abrader shaft and whenever deemed expedient said screw 39 may be adjusted to lower or raise that end of the shaft journalled in the aforesaid aperture for the purpose of taking up wear, for creating greater surface pressure between the edge of the blade and abrader, or otherwise.

The abrader 40 is suspended between points 41 and 42 subjacent the path of travel of the carriage 28, so that the razor blade carried by the carriage may have its edges alternately contact with the operative face of the abrader in its sweep thereover. Said abrader comprises a flat plate 43, having mounted upon its opposite faces, a honing element 44 and a stropping element 45.

Centrally of said plate and extending therebeyond are integrally formed stub shafts 46 and 47 which serve as axes of support for said abrader. Shaft 46 is journalled in the aperture 3'7 and poised on the adjustable screw 39 hereinbefore referred to. Shaft 47 is mounted in an aperture 41. The stop fingers 38 are formed integral with the plate and project beyond the limits of the abrader so as to overlap the upturned flange 35 of the cross-tie plate to limit the side rock or undulating effect produced in the abrader as the razor blade impinges thereon in its passage thereover.

The spring 48 retains the stop fingers in overlapping position with the upturned flange as shown in Fig. 1 until the same is manually retracted. such a retracted position being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The position dottedly in dicated represents the position in which the abrader may be rotated through an angle of 90 degrees. To make it possible to free the stop fingers 38 from the upturned flange 35, the shaft portions 46 and 47 are made suiflcientiy long to permit a longitudinal movement of the abrader, so that when retraction is desired to change the honing surface for a stropping surface or vice versa the stop fingers may clear their normal restriction.

The carriage 28 in which the double-edged razor blade is mounted for sharpening, comprises a somewhat rectangular framework consisting of a front wall 49, side walls 50, and a rear wall 51,

said rear wall being adapted for three finger grip engagement therewith, and from which forwardly extends a finger guard 52.

The front and rear walls are extended in width beyond the side walls and are each provided with a similar inturned return bend 53, which has a slight outwardly directed flange 54 which overlies and underlies the top and bottom edges of the trackway, whereby to provide a support upon which the carriage may be reciprocated. The front and rear walls also have a portion cutaway so that the carriage 28 may always clear the abrader. 7

To the side walls 50 is riveted or otherwise-fastened a spring dog 55 which cooperates with the torque member, the description of which shortly follows, to limit the backward movement of the blade after the same have been reversed, and after the blade has been reversed it establishes a reentrant angle for itself so that its forward cutting edge will clear the end of the hone and the trailing edge will be substantially in sharpening position.

The side walls 50 are provided with apertured flanges to form a bearing 56 in which the blade holder 57 is journalled. The view shown in Fig. 5 adequately illustrates this construction and the construction to which the following descriptive matter appertains.

The shaft portion of the blade holder 5'7 extends thru said apertures and is progressively reduced towards its ends.

Adjacently mounted to the shaft portion 58 occupying the apertured bearing is the torque member 20. It is provided with inturned ears or teeth 59, Fig. 3, with which the spring dog 55 engages to limit the backward rotation of the blade when it is once reversed. It also overrides the lift 18 or 19 to prevent the razor blade edge from dragging on the end of the abrader on both its incoming and outgoing stroke. It further is actuated by rotary frictional contact with the pinion gear 60 against which it abuts and occupies a position on the square shoulder of the step bearing indicated by the numeral 61.

The pinion gear 60 is mounted on the step bearing at 62 and meshes with the rack 12. As the carriage is manually reciprocated the pinion gear is caused to rotate. Its frictional contact with the torque. member 20. which is in turn rigidly secured to the step portion of the shaft at 61, causes the blade edge to impinge on the operative face of the abrader in whichever direction rotation is imparted to the carriage.

Alongside the pinion gear upon the step bearing 63 is mounted the thrust washer 64 and to the step bearing 63 is also mounted the spring thrust collar 66. The collar 66 is held in yielding adjustable frictional engagement with the thrust washer 64 by a screw 67 screwed into the end of the step hearing. The collar 66 is concave-convex and the screw is applied at the center of convexity of the collar. By adjusting the screw 6'7 thru the opening 68 different pressures may be exerted upon the collar 66, whereby the frictional tightness between the washer and the gear and the gear and torque member is varied, and which will in turn vary the pressure contact of the impingement of the blade with the abrader. The greater the speed of the stroke of the carriage the greater the turning moment and consequently the greater the pressure lent at the point of impingement.

The blade holder 57 is provided with a flat blade supporting portion from which projects with the lift.

two studs 69. These studs are spaced to protrude through apertures commonly formed in safety razor blades '70 of well known manufacture.

A spring clasp 71 is hingedly fastened to the fiat portion adjacent the blade mounting which is adapted to overlie the blade to retain it in sharpening position, there being a spring tongue 72 adapted to interlock with the edge portion of an aperture 73 in said flat portion on the far side end of the blade to retain in overlapping relation the blade in engagement with its holder.

The manual manipulation of the improved apparatus will now be described.

To mount a blade in the blade holder, the carriage is moved to the extreme forward position as indicated at 601 where the opening in that end of the frame easily facilitates the insertion of a finger thereunder to be pressed against the tongue of the spring latch whereby it may be elevated to a position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The blade is then inserted over the studs of the blade holder and the spring clamp is locked by the interengagement of the tongue '72 with theshoulder formed by the edge of the aperture 73 of the blade holder.

The blade having been inserted in the holder its method of sharpening will now be analyzed.

The apparatus is held in a position similar to 5 that shown in Fig. l, the left hand supporting it and the right hand resting on in three finger grip fashion, the rear side of the carriage frame being especially configurated for that purpose.

Motion when imparted to the carriage as indicated in the direction of the arrow in Fig.

2 will cause the gear wheel to rotate in a direction which will frictionally influence the torque member 20 in such a manner as to cause the trailing edge of the blade to contact with the abrader as the carriage advances.

Should the direction of motion imparted to the carriage be changed prior to engagement of the torque member with the lift, the opposite side edge of the blade will be contacted with the abrader, as a result of the direction of rotation of the gear being changed, which in turn changes the direction of frictional contact between gear and torque.

Such a procedure could be carried on indefinitely until say at least that side of the blades edges were sufficiently dressed or sharpened.

The abrader will of course also have been previously set with whatever sharpening surface, hone or strop, it was desired to present to the blade, in the present instance the inference being that the blade was considered dull, the hone was first applied.

When it is desired to reverse the blade to present the opposite side thereof to the sharpener or abrader a-full stroke is made as outlined in successive dotted stages of the carriage 6b, 6c, 601, shown in Fig. 6,

Position 61) in Fig. 6 is similar to full line position in Fig. 2.

Continuing in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 6, as soon as the torque member contacts with the lift as shown at 60, the trailing edge of the blade is held aloof from the end of the abrader until the point 74 leaves the lift. By virtue of the fact the blade is less in width than the torque member, the edge of the blade will have passed over the end of the abrader before the end of the torque member or point 74 has ceased to contact As a consequence of the blade being 59 no further restrained by impingement with the abrader, the frictional contact of the gear on the torque member keeps rotating said torque member with the blade to the position shown at 6d whence the car 59 will clear the spring as shown in Fig. 7 and the spring being freed of contact with the ear will spring back of the ear and assume the position shown in plan in Fig. 3.

The torque member being now locked, motion may be imparted to the carriage to reverse the stroke.

The gear wheel now will move in an opposite direction. Its frictional contact with the torque member will cause it to assume the position shown in Fig. 7 until it is moved toward the operator (see Fig. 1) over the li t, the same protection being afforded the blade on this stroke as the previous one with respect to not dragging upon the end of the abrader. As soon as the torque members leaves the lift frictional resistance of gear and torque causes the opposite edge of the blade as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to impinge upon the abrader, which position is the same as that shown in 5a of Fig. 6.

Whether or not a reversal of the blade is desired at each stroke, with regard to the mode of sharp-- ening, is a matter of the taste of the individual.

I claim:

1. In a blade sharpener, a frame including a rack, abrading member mounted on said frame, a carriage mounted in said frame for reciprocating movement over said abrading memher, a blade holder, including a gear in mesh with said rack, rotatably mounted. in said carriage, said carriage having sufficlent travel to move said blade holder to a point beyond the end of said abrading member to disengage the edge of the blade being sharpened from said member and reverse its position, a torque member operatively related to said blade holder and in direct frictional contact said gear, and a lift mounted upon said frame and positioned to be directly engaged by said torque member to disengage the trailing edge of the blade from said abrading member and maintain it disengaged therefrom while the blade is being conveyed by said carriage over the end of said abrading member.

2. In a blade sharpener, a frame including a rack, an abrading member mounted on said frame, a carriage reciprocably mounted in said frame, a blade holder including a gear in constant mesh with said rack, rotatably mounted in said carriage, said carriage having sufficient travel to move said blade holder to a point'beyond the end of said abrading member to dis engage the edge of the blade being sharpened from said member and reverse its position, a torque member operatively related to said blade holder and in direct frictional contact with said gear and means carried by said carriage and operatively related to said torque member to maintain the blades reversed position when said carriage is moved to the limit of its travel beyond said abrading member, and a lift mounted upon said frame and positioned to be engaged by said torque member to disengage the edge of the blade being sharpened from said abrading member, and maintain it disengaged therefrom while the blade is being conveyed by said carriage over the end of said abrading member, said blade holder upon freedom of said torque member from said iift having its position automatically reversed thru the medium of said torque member and said gear in conjunction with said rack,

thereby placing the opposite face of the blades edge in position for sharpening with said abrading member during the reverse movement of said carriage.

3. In a blade sharpener, an elongated frame, a blade holding carriage adapted to reciprocate longitudinally within said frame, an elongated undulatory abrading member mounted within said frame upon stub shafts which are located at substantially the mid-width thereof, a crosstie support mounted on said frame, adjustable means carried by said cross-tie for varying the longitudinal inclination of said abrader and forming a pivotal bearing for one of said stub shafts, the other stub shaft projecting thru an end of said frame and having its projecting portion provided with means for manually rotating it, a compression spring coiled around the latter shaft between the end of the frame and the adjacent end of the body portion of said abrader, said abrader being provided with spaced stop fingers which normally overlap said cross-tie to limit the undulation of said abrader, said abrader being longitudinally movable to withdraw said stop fingers from over said cross-tie against the opposition of said spring thereby to permit of a semi-rotation of the abrader in order to present the opposite face thereof toward the blade being sharpened.

l. In a blade sharpener, a frame, a blade holding carriage reciprocably mounted within said frame, an abrading member mounted within said frame upon stub shafts which extend beyond the body portion of said abrading member, said shafts being located at substantially the mid-width of said abrading member, a cross-tie support mounted upon said frame and forming a bearing for one of said stub shafts, the other stub shaft projecting through an end of said frame end having the projecting portion provided with means for manually rotating it, said abrader being provided with stop-fingers which normally overlap a flange of said cross-tie, and resilient means tending to hold said stop-fingers in overlapping position with the flange of said crosstie, said abrader being longitudinally movable to withdraw said projections from contact with said cross-tie against the opposition of said resilient means, thereby to permit of a semi rotation of the abrader in order to present the opposite face thereof toward the blade being sharpened.

5. In a blade sharpener, a frame, an abrading member mounted on said frame, a carriage reciprocably mounted in said frame, a blade holder rotatably mounted in said carriage, said carriage having sufficient travel to move said blade holder to a point beyond the end of said abrading member to disengage the blade therefrom and rotate it, a torque member acting between said carriage and frame normally to maintain the trailing edge of the'blade in engagement with said abrading member during its strokes thereover, said torque member being provided with teeth, and a dog constructed and arranged to cooperate with said teeth to maintain the automatically reversed position of said blade when the carriage is moved to the limit of its travel beyond the end of said abrading member.

6. In a sharpener for sharpening double or oppositely edged blades, a frame, an abrading member mounted on said frame, a carriage reciprocably mounted in said frame, a blade holder rotatably mounted in said carriage upon a shaft,

the end portion of which travels adjacent to a side wall of said frame, said carriage having sufiicient travel to move said blade holder to a point beyond the end of said abrading member to disengage the blade therefrom and rotate it, a gear loosely mounted on the aforementioned end portion of said shaft, said frame having a rack portion extending longitudinally thereof with which said gear meshes, a torque member fixed to said shaft adjacent to said gear and in frictional engagement therewith, said gear on account of its frictional engagement with said torque member maintaining an edge portion of the blade being sharpened in engagement with said abrading member throughout the travel of the carriage in its passage thereover, said torque member being provided with teeth, and a spring dog constructed and arranged to cooperate with said teeth to maintain the automatically reversed position of said blade when the carriage is moved to the limit of its travel beyond the end of said abrading member.

'7. The combination with a frame, including a rack of a carriage reciprocable in said frame and a blade holder rotatably mounted in said carriage, a sharpening device pivotably and adjustably mounted in said frame subjacent the sweep of said blade holder, a torque member mounted on said blade holder, a pinion gear mounted on said blade holder in direct frictional contact with said torque member and operatively related to said rack, yieldable means engageable with said pinion gear whereby to initiate contact of the abutting faces of said gear and torque member, means to effect a rotational frictional resistance between said pinion gear and torque member whereby a blade in said blade holder is caused to press against said sharpening device for either drawing or thrusting strokes, a lift in the path of travel of said torque member whereby to change the angle of inclination of said blade as it passes to and from over the end of said sharpening device at the completion of a thrusting stroke, said rotational frictional resistance being adapted to rotate and reverse said blade when said carriage is thrusted to a point beyond the end of said sharpening device to permit of a semi-rotation of said blade, and means carried by said carriage and cooperating with said torque member to maintain the reversed position of said blade.

8. In a device of the kind described, a frame including a rack, an abrading member mounted on said frame, a carriage reciprocably mounted on said frame, a blade holder provided with a shaft portion journalled in said carriage, said shaft portion being extended and forming a step bearing projecting therebeyond, a friction drive mounted on said step bearing, said friction drive being adapted for reversing a blade in said holder at will, and to cause the edges of said blade to impinge with the surface of said abrading member in the blades passage thereover, said friction drive comprising a gear in constant mesh with said rack, a torque member in direct frictional contact with said gear; said carriage having sufficient travel to move said blade holder to a point beyond the end of said abrading mem-- ber whereby the edge of said blade being sharpened may be disengaged therefrom and automatically reversed to such a position that the opposite edge of said blade is properly positioned for sharpening, and a lift mounted upon said frame and positioned to be engaged by said torque member to disengage the edge of the blade from said abrading member at the end of a thrusting stroke only.

9. In a blade sharpener, a frame including a rack, an undulatory abrader mounted in said frame, a carriage and a rotatable blade holder mounted in said carriage, means mounting said carriage in said frame for reciprocating movement over said abrader, a dog mounted on said carriage and a torque member mounted on said blade holder, a pinion mounted on said blade holder and having one of its faces in direct frictional contact with said torque member and its teeth meshing with said rack, said torque member being provided with ears and said ears being positioned to be engaged by said dog to arrest said holder against reverse rotation after said carriage has been moved to the end of a thrusting stroke and the blade has been semi-rotated, thru the medium of said torque member and the teeth of said pinion in cooperation with said rack, and the opposite edge of the blade has been placed in position for sharpening, and a lift directly engageable by said torque member to cause the trailing edge of the blade to be lifted incident to its application and release with said abrader.

10. In a device of the kind described, a frame including a rack, an undulatory abrader mounted on said frame, a carriage mounted in said frame, and a rotary blade holder mounted in said carriage, said carriage being mounted in said frame for reciprocating movement over said abrader, a dog mounted on said carriage and a torque member mounted on said blade holder and provided with means engageable with said dog to control the rotation of said blade holder when the position of said blade is reversed in said carriage at the full completion of a thrusting stroke, and means in direct frictional contact with said torque member and engageable with said rack for oscillating said blade holder.

G. HUGH MURRIN. 

